Local legend returns homeLAMAR — When Eddie Meador speaks at the athletic awards banquet for Lamar High School at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, it will be an “almost” homecoming for the former Russellville Cyclones All-State football player. All-State is, however, among the least of his honors. Meador graduated Russellville High School in 1955 with letters in football, basketball and track and began his career at Arkansas Tech University. He was later drafted into the NFL by th...

Resilient Mayflower stops Dover in first game after tornado strikeDOVER — With only one day of practice under their belts after Sunday’s EF-4 tornado devestated their community, the Mayflower Eagles defeated the Dover Pirates 8-5 on Thursday at M.J. Lovelady Park. More than a win, it was a return to normalcy for Eagles head coach Joe Allbritton. Two players lost their homes in the tornado, which left 15 dead across Faulkner and Pulaski counties. “The tornado hit Sunday evening around 7 or 7:30 p.m.,” Allbrit...

Lady Red Devils drop twoATKINS — The Lady Red Devils saw their chances at a 3A-4 Conference championship evaporate with a pair of losses to the Manfield Lady Tigers in doubleheader softball action on Monday. Atkins (20-7, 11-3 7A/6A-Central Conference) dropped the first game 3-1 and the second 7-4. Atkins pitcher Alex Webb gave up nine hits and struck out one in the first game and eight hits and two walks in the second. At the plate, Emily Ward was 1-for-1 with a run...

Wonder Boys advance in national pollsAfter finishing the regular season with a sweep of Harding, extending the program’s school-record winning streak to 22 games and clinching the program’s first regular-season conference title since the 1992 season, the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys baseball team (41-8) has been rewarded in this week’s national polls, moving as high as No. 3. ATU is ranked No. 3 in the National College Baseball Writers Association poll, jumping to No. 7. The Wonder ...

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ATU Sports InformationThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Suns open GAC tourney vs. ReddiesThe Arkansas Tech Golden Suns (31-25, 19-21 Great American Conference) will take on the Henderson State Lady Reddies (28-23, 24-16 GAC) in the opening round of the Great American Conference Tournament at 10 a.m. today in Bentonville. It could be said that the Golden Suns are playing their best softball heading into the tournament. ATU has won their last seven games by a total margin of 48-20. The Golden Suns have posted double-digit hits in fi...

Russellville slips past Van BurenThe Russellville Cyclones baseball team notched a 9-7 come-from-behind victory over the Van Buren Pointers Monday at M.J. Hickey Park. The Cyclones trailed 7-3 until the sixth inning when Russellville scored six runs to snatch the nonconference win away from the Pointers. The Cyclones cycled through five pitchers trying to find the right fit. Austin Robinson opened the game, struck out four, walked four and gave up three runs (all earned) on o...

Local teams compete in McDonald RelaysFORT SMITH — The Russellville Cyclones, Lady Cyclones, Dardanelle Sand Lizards and Lady Sand Lizards all competed in the McDonald Relays at Fort Smith Southside on Friday. The Cyclones finished in 11th place with an overall score of 14.00. The Lady Cyclones finished in 14th with an overall score of 25.00. the Sand Lizards finished 17th with an overall score of 4.00. The Lady Sand Lizards placed 19th with an overall score of 5.50. Dardanelle’s ...

Wildcats prevail in final regular-season contestHECTOR — The Hector Wildcats ended the regular season in stride with a 10-1 nonconference win over the Scranton Rockets on Monday. Hector (11-6, 6-4 2A-4 Conference) head coach Jeff Haralson said he was glad to see it. The Wildcats, in what Haralson described as a "kick in the gut," lost four straight earlier in the season, but earned a sweep over Quitman last week and defeat Scranton on Monday. "We sure were hitting the ball a lot better. We ...

Sterling banned for life by the NBA for racist remarksNEW YORK (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered the swiftest, strongest penalty he could, then called on NBA owners to force Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling to sell the team for making racist comments that hurt the league. Almost unanimously, owners supported the commissioner Tuesday, as he handed down one of the harshest penalties in the history of U.S. sports. "We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling's views. They simp...

Wonder Boys win 22nd straight, clinch GACSEARCY — Jay Johnson went 4-for-5 in the opener, while Patrick Castleberry added three hits, while Mason Reynolds tossed six scoreless innings in the nightcap as the No. 5 Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (41-8, 25-5 Great American Conference) closed out the series sweep of Harding (26-22, 16-13 GAC), winning the opener 6-5 and taking the nightcap 2-0. With the first Tech win on Saturday, the Wonder Boys clinched their first outright conference title...

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ATU Sports InformationThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Time for a fishing road trip“One of these days” is a quote many of us have used in reference to lots of things in our lives, but also a quote many of us will actually fulfill before our lives are over. My “one of these days” includes a fishing road trip that will start in Texas, work its way through Louisiana, head deep into Florida, then turn slightly north and work my way back through South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee and wind up back in Arkansas and I mig...

Locals compete at Pottsville boutsPOTTSVILLE — Dream Team Boxing head coach David “Diamond Dream” Beck put two fighters in the ring during Pugilism in Pottsville 8 held Saturday inside Pottsville Middle School Gymnasium. While neither came away with a victory in the USA Boxing sanctioned bout, Beck said he was proud of the heart they displayed. “We showed a lot of heart, I think,” Beck said. “When it comes down between skill or heart, I’ll take heart any day. You can’t teach h...

Hector sweeps Quitman for 2A-4 titleHECTOR — Hector Lady Wildcats pitcher Darci Fountain was strong at the plate and on the rubber during the Lady Wildcats 17-1 victory in game one of Hector’s doubleheader against the Quitman Lady Bulldogs on Friday. Hector completed the series with a 3-1 win over the Lady Bulldogs in game two. In game one, Fountain was 4-for-4 against Quitman and doubled in the third and singled in the first and fourth innings. From the circle, fountain struck ...

Wonder Boys win 22nd straight, clinch GACSEARCY — Jay Johnson went 4-for-5 in the opener, while Patrick Castleberry added three hits, while Mason Reynolds tossed six scoreless innings in the nightcap as the No. 5 Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (41-8, 25-5 Great American Conference) closed out the series sweep of Harding (26-22, 16-13 GAC), winning the opener 6-5 and taking the nightcap 2-0. With the first Tech win on Saturday, the Wonder Boys clinched their first outright conference title...

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ATU Sports InformationThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Lady Red Devils closer to conference titleATKINS — The Lady Red Devils pitching duo of Alex Webb and Jordan Wilson pitched a combined no-hitter against the Danville Lady Little Johns on Friday in Atkins. Webb struck out four across three innings and Wilson two across two innings during the 19-0 victory. Emily Ward was 1-for-3 with two runs and two walks at the plate. Alex Webb was 1-for-2 with a walk. Sidney Webb was 1-for-1 with two walks. Bailey Thomas was 1-for-2 with two runs and ...

Wonder Boys clinch first outright league title in 22 yearsArkansas Tech University extended a long winning streak and ended a long title drought on an historic day for its baseball program Saturday. The Wonder Boys defeated the Harding Bisons 6-5 in game one of a Great American Conference doubleheader at Jerry Moore Field in Searcy to clinch their first outright conference baseball championship in 22 years. ATU (40-8 overall, 24-5 GAC) earned its 21st consecutive victory and its first-ever 40-win bas...

Cyclones whip Patriots 13-0 in 5 inningsThe Russellville Cyclones only needed five innings to take care of the Little Rock Parkview Patriots during Friday’s game held at M.J. Hickey Park. Russellville scored eight runs in the second inning to set up the 13-2 victory. “It doesn’t matter who you are playing, you have to throw strikes,” Russellville head coach Matt Long said. “Tonight, we did.” Russellville (10-7, 6-3 7A/6A-Central Conference) pitcher Garrett Freeman struck out six acr...

Farnam strikes out 13 in Sand Lizards’ 13-0 winDARDANELLE — The Sand Lizards wrapped up regular-season play Friday with a 13-0 victory over the Waldron Bulldogs on Senior Day at Merritt Park. Sand Lizards pitcher Ethan Farnam put on a dazzling performance from the mound, as he struck out 13 batters while allowing only three hits. The Bulldogs looked as if they were going to break things open in the top of the first as they loaded the bases with no outs, but the Sand Lizards found a way to ...